Atesh operatives set fire at a railway hub in Bataysk, in Russia's Rostov Oblast, which Russian troops use to supply their forces in occupied parts of Kherson, Zaporizhzhia, and Donetsk oblasts, as well as Crimea.

Editor's note: This article is a shortened on-site version of KI Insights' public newsletter, The Week Ahead, covering events from December 22-31. Sign up here to start your week with an agenda of Ukraine-related events delivered directly to your inbox every week. A new round of negotiations between the Ukrainian and U.S. delegations begins in Florida, focused on a proposed 20-point peace plan. Over the weekend, separate talks between the United States and Russia are also scheduled to take plac

"No matter how difficult it is for us, we need to protect as many people as possible, protect Odesa and our other regions as much as possible," President Volodymyr Zelensky said of the planned replacement.

"I believe such strength exists in the United States and in President Trump. And I believe we should not look for an alternative to the United States, because all alternatives are uncertain as to whether they can end the war)," President Volodymyr Zelensky told reporters.

Liberated in 2022, Kherson is still under daily attack from Russian forces across the Dnipro River. The Kyiv Independent’s Francis Farrell and Olena Zashko report from a city living under anti-drone nets and constant surveillance, showing how everyday life, from hospitals and schools to aid deliveries and cultural events, continues under threat, and why residents refuse to leave.

Ukraine's Foreign Ministry is working on establishing a mechanism for providing Ukrainian citizen living abroad the ability to vote in the country's next election, President Volodymyr Zelensky said on Dec. 20.

Sea drones have become a crucial component of Ukraine's defense toolkit, and co-production with a NATO ally could enhance long-term output and deepen European defense-industrial cooperation at sea.

According to Ukraine's Coordination Headquarters for the Treatment of Prisoners of War, Russia had mobilized 18,092 foreigners from 128 countries as of October.

The drones are operated by the SBU's Special Operations Center "A" (Alpha), according to the agency.

Kirill Dmitriev, Russian President Vladimir Putin's special envoy, met with U.S. President Donald Trump's envoy Steve Witkoff and son-in-law Jared Kushner, Reuters reported on Dec. 20, citing a Russian source.

According to the Ukrainian Air Force, Russia targeted Ukraine overnight with three Iskander-M ballistic missiles launched from occupied Crimea and 51 attack drones.

SSO drones also hit a Russian oil platform located at the Filanovsky oil and gas field in the Caspian Sea. The platform is owned by Russian oil company Lukoil and is used for oil and gas extraction.

Russia has lost around 1,195,610 troops in Ukraine since the beginning of its full-scale invasion on Feb. 24, 2022, the General Staff of Ukraine's Armed Forces reported on Dec. 20. The number includes 1,090 casualties that Russian forces suffered over the past day. According to the report, Russia has also lost 11,433 tanks, 23,769 armored fighting vehicles, 70,721 vehicles and fuel tanks, 35,287 artillery systems, 1,575 multiple launch rocket systems, 1,263 air defense systems, 432 airplanes,

"Yesterday evening, Russia carried out a missile strike on a port infrastructure facility in Odesa Oblast. Some of the victims were on a bus that was at the epicenter of the strike," the State Emergency Service reported.

"This is not the beginning of a war — it is a declaration of vengeance," U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth wrote on X.

"We agreed with our American partners on further steps and the continuation of our joint work in the near future," delegation leader Rustem Umerov said after the meeting.

"We're not concerned about an escalation with Russia, with regards to Venezuela ... I think they have their hands full in Ukraine," U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said on Dec. 19.

The SBU's Alpha Special Operations Center's drones hit a gas turbine unit at the Rakushechnoe deposit at the platform run by Russian oil giant Lukoil, the source said.

The supposed "persecution of Christians" in Ukraine ranks among the most popular tropes of Russian disinformation. Kremlin propaganda has sought to cast the state's push to limit the influence of the Kremlin-linked Ukrainian Orthodox Church of the Moscow Patriarchate (UOC-MP) — whose clergymen have aided Russia during the war — as an assault on Christians. Though Ukraine is religiously diverse, Orthodox Christianity remains the dominant faith, with the independent Orthodox Church of Ukraine (O

The Kyiv Independent on Dec. 9 hosted its first live event in New York City, an evening dedicated to storytelling, investigative journalism, and front-line reporting.

European leaders have approved an interest-free loan for Ukraine, providing a financial lifeline and securing a large portion of the cash-strapped country's financing needs for the next two years.

More than 2,400 people have joined the Kyiv Independent community during our anniversary campaign, helping us reach our goal of 25,000 members by the end of 2025.

Russian President Vladimir Putin used his annual end-of-year press conference on Dec. 19 to reaffirm the Kremlin's maximalist demands for ending Russia's war in Ukraine, rejecting territorial compromise while repeating false claims about the invasion. Opening the tightly choreographed event, Putin said Moscow remains willing to engage in peace talks only on the terms he first outlined last year, insisting that Ukraine has shown no readiness to discuss territory. "We are ready and willing to en

Editor's note: This story is a collaboration between the Kyiv Independent and Factcheck Bulgaria. Key findings: * A network of nonprofits runs large-scale fundraising campaigns claiming to support Ukrainian children with cancer, yet less than 1% of funds raised appear to reach the children. * These organizations are mostly based in the U.S. but maintain ties to Israel — reflected in Hebrew names and connections to a namesake organization in Israel. * Fundraisers frequently use false inform

"There are sometimes difficult moments in our societies, but as presidents, we must define policies that keep us united. Without our independence, Moscow will inevitably push further into Europe and will come for Poland," President Volodymyr Zelensky said in Warsaw.

President Volodymyr Zelensky said on Dec. 19 that Ukraine knows where the Oreshnik would be deployed in Belarus and is sharing this information with its Western allies.

In "a new unprecedented special operation" in neutral waters more than 2,000 kilometers from Ukraine, Russia's QENDIL tanker sustained "critical damage" and can no longer be used for its intended purpose, the source claimed.

Ukraine will conduct necessary examinations to identify the bodies, which Russia says belong to Ukrainian soldiers, the Coordination Headquarters for the Treatment of Prisoners of War reported.

U.S. President Donald Trump signed into law a $900 billion defense spending bill on Dec. 18, approving a sweeping package that includes $800 million in military assistance for Ukraine.

U.S. President Donald Trump said Dec. 18 that he hopes Ukraine will move quickly amid ongoing diplomatic efforts to end Russia's war.

A Ukrainian Mi-24 helicopter crew was killed in combat, the 12th Separate Army Aviation Brigade reported Dec. 18. "This is an irreparable loss for our aviation, for our country, and for the families who were waiting for their loved ones at home," the brigade said.

Democratic members of the U.S. Congress released additional photos from the Jeffrey Epstein estate on Dec. 18, including images of a Ukrainian woman's passport.